Immediately after Trooping the Colour last Saturday, two divergent storylines appeared. One was “the Princess of Wales is a saint for doing her first public event since Christmas.” The second storyline was “even with Kate’s miraculous reappearance, the monarchy is in pretty sad shape.” Not even Saint Keen could fill the gaping holes in that balcony. QEII seemed to enjoy bringing out the entire extended family for Trooping the Colour, with lots of cousins, grandkids and dodgy uncles all included. They stopped doing that specifically because they wanted to ban Prince Harry’s Black wife from ever stepping onto their all-white balcony again. So now we have all of these made-up rules about “working royals” and “who is allowed on the fakakta balcony.” Meanwhile, the British media can’t hide their disdain for how threadbare everything looks and feels. Speaking of, the Mail’s Richard Eden wrote a piece about how Prince William is committed to keeping the monarchy as threadbare as possible.
The Princess of Wales on the balcony at Buckingham Palace was a sight to lift the spirits of every royalist. There was, however, something about that balcony scene after Trooping the Colour last Saturday that left me feeling uneasy. And my sense of disquiet was deepened by a conversation I had later with a friend of Catherine’s husband, Prince William.
At the weekend, though, the junior royals were asked not to join the more senior members of ‘The Firm’ on the balcony. Instead, there was the sad sight of Lord Frederick Windsor, son of Queen Elizabeth’s beloved first cousin Prince Michael of Kent, glimpsed behind the curtain in the Centre Room at the palace. Like his recently bereaved sister, Lady Gabriella Windsor, Lord Freddie was asked to stay out of sight, like some embarrassing relative. This is because King Charles chose to stick with the post-pandemic policy of his late mother and allow only ‘working royals’ on the balcony.
Queen Elizabeth abandoned her tradition of decades because of the ‘Harry and Meghan problem’ as well as the ‘Duke of York dilemma’. She felt that she could not exclude those who had stepped down from royal duties if she allowed other ‘non-working royals’ to join her on the balcony. So we were left with the wide empty spaces there last weekend that would previously have been filled with the smiling faces of younger royals.
When I later spoke to the friend of Prince William, I had hoped that he would bring news of a change to this uninspiring policy. However, what he told me left me worried about the future of the monarchy. The friend said William was in ‘full agreement’ with his father about the need for a ‘slimmed-down monarchy’. He told me: ‘When the older members of the family retire, His Royal Highness won’t be inviting anyone else to become working royals. It remains to be seen if he will even want his two younger children to be working royals.’
At 59, the Duchess of Edinburgh is the only other member of ‘The Firm’ under the age of 60. This means that by the time William ascends the throne, he and Catherine may be the only full-time royals. ‘That is what William wants,’ the source claims. ‘He sees the small European monarchies as the model for the future.’
In my opinion, it would be a mistake for William to continue with his plans for a radically slimmed-down monarchy when Harry and Meghan are no longer there to support him. Instead, he should ask his cousins, such as Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, Lady Louise Windsor and the Earl of Wessex, to share the burden with him when the time comes. Queen Elizabeth, who asked her own cousins to help her carry out engagements, showed that the monarchy is stronger when it’s a team effort. I put what I was told to Kensington Palace and it was a ‘no comment’
For years, there’s been the undercurrent of “William is incapable” in some reporting. But we all saw it with our own eyes this year, when he was showing everyone just how unsteady, unprepared and incapable he really is when the chips are down. But like most temperamental narcissists, William likely believes that he’s crushing it, and that everyone is buying what he’s selling. William probably believes that he’ll really have a slimmed-down monarchy too, that he doesn’t need anyone’s help, that he’ll show everyone that he’s much keener than Harry! The result will be pretty funny.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
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- Prince George, Prince Louis, Prince William, Prince of Wales, Catherine, Princess of Wales and Princess Charlotte on the palace balcony following Trooping the Colour on Saturday 15 June 2024 at Buckingham Palace, London. Trooping the Colour is a traditional parade held to mark the British Sovereign’s official birthday. This year the colours were trooped by The Irish Guards. .,Image: 881850912, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: World Rights – Julie Edwards/Avalon.Red, Model Release: no, Credit line: Julie Edwards / Avalon
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- London, UK. 15th June, 2024. In a mix of torrential rain, thunder & lightning, and finally sunshine, Trooping the Colour for the King’s Official Birthday Parade takes place with Catherine, Princess of Wales, attending. As the procession made its way along The Mall towards Buckingham Palace after the Review the weather became extreme for a while with thunder, lightning and very heavy rain.,Image: 881886277, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: MALCOLM PARK / Avalon
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- Prince William, Catherine Princess of Wales, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis photographed on the palace balcony following Trooping of the Colour on Saturday 15 June 2024 at Buckingham Palace, London. Trooping the Colour is a traditional parade held to mark the British Sovereign’s official birthday. This year the colours were trooped by The Irish Guards. .,Image: 881899091, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: World Rights – Julie Edwards/Avalon.Red, Model Release: no, Credit line: Julie Edwards / Avalon
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- Prince William, Catherine Princess of Wales, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis photographed on the palace balcony following Trooping of the Colour on Saturday 15 June 2024 at Buckingham Palace, London. Trooping the Colour is a traditional parade held to mark the British Sovereign’s official birthday. This year the colours were trooped by The Irish Guards. .,Image: 881899137, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: World Rights – Julie Edwards/Avalon.Red, Model Release: no, Credit line: Julie Edwards / Avalon
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- London, UK. 15th June, 2024. After Trooping the Colour 2024 members of The Royal Family, including Catherine, Princess of Wales, appear on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to wave to the large crowd of wellwishers and spectators who gather outside the Palace. Image (l to r): The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, Prince George; Prince William, the Prince of Wales; Prince Louis; Catherine, Princess of Wales; Princess Charlotte; King Charles III, Queen Camilla; Duchess of Edinburgh; Duke of Edinburgh; Lady Louise Windsor; Anne, Princess Royal, Vice Admiral Timothy Laurence, The Duke of Kent,Image: 882041261, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: MALCOLM PARK / Avalon
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- London, UK, 15 June 2024. King Charles and Queen Camilla with Prince William, Princess Catherine, Prince George, Prince Louis, Princess Charlotte along with other members of the Royal Family on the Balcony of Buckingham Palace following the King’s Birthday Parade, Trooping The Colour Buckingham Palace, London, UK.,Image: 882065514, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: LFP / Avalon
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- London, UK, 15 June 2024. King Charles and Queen Camilla with Prince William, Princess Catherine, Prince George, Prince Louis, Princess Charlotte along with other members of the Royal Family on the Balcony of Buckingham Palace following the King’s Birthday Parade, Trooping The Colour Buckingham Palace, London, UK.,Image: 882065534, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: LFP / Avalon
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- Catherine, Princess of Wales and Prince Louis at theTrooping of the Colour on Saturday 15 June 2024 at Buckingham Palace, London,Image: 882443824, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: celebrityphotos uk / Avalon
Ah, the embodiment of Dunning-Krugar effect!
If you’ve gotta be good at something… that’s not a thing you want to be good at.
LOL! This! Billiam is the Master of the Dunning-Krugar effect! If someone told him that he would probably demand a medal for it and wear it proudly on his chest.
Will-not attempting to yank titles will highlight how obsessed and petty he is towards his brother as well as how lazy and undeserving he is. The aristocrats that benefit from the sexist class system will never tolerate too much scrutiny being placed on the system that puts so much of the UKs land and wealth into the hands of a few families who just happened to support the right monarchy hundreds of years ago. Most of the elite also benefit from the Commonwealth, especially since Brexit depressed the economy in the UK. Will-not failing to work/travel to support the UK/promote the Commonwealth and consistently being cringe worthy when he does literally anything will not be tolerated no matter how much power his rota contacts and bot army makes him think he has.
Oooh this is getting interesting isn’t it! William just spent time with the King of Denmark and I bet at least one topic of conversation was about Queen Margarethe removing family member Royal titles. You know titles of royals who keep getting further down the line of succession, who live in foreign countries etc…William will be King sooner than later and I bet this is at the top of his list. Question as you like his feelings for Kate, but from what I can discern he is ”incandescent with rage “ over Harry and the wife’s portrayal of Kate in their book and follow up interviews. William can easily remove the Duke and Duchess titles AND he can indeed remove Prince and Princess titles with a new letters patent. He will be KING after all and probably more than willing to do so. But still why would Harry care? He is “in love and living his very best life” in a house he can’t afford in the blazing hot sun and the scarily depleted ozone level of the homeless encampment covered, California coast. I believe in Harry though, he’ll figure it out a way to keep his little family afloat even without titles he can can go by the former Duke or Prince on his book covers. I wonder who he’ll write about next?
Almost everything you said is incorrect. I think you have been reading too many tabloids. It is not easy to take titles away and William can’t ‘easily do it’. It would take an act of parliament that would have to pass both houses. Since many in the House of Lords have hereditary titles they are unlikely to want to open a can of worms where titles can be taken away that easily. William will be a constitutional monarch not a dictator. You only need to look at Charles to see how little power the monarch actually has. You say Harry can’t afford his house. Another ridiculous assertion based on zero evidence. I’m sure Harry be fine if the titles were taken away but in title obsessed UK it is not going to happen.
The part of California in which Harry and Meghan live is technically considered a Mediterranean climate. In terms of weather, it’s like they live along the southern coast of Italy. They also live in one of the many wealthy parts of California, which is a state with the fifth largest economy in the world. They are living the dream alright.
Most places in the world cannot begin to compete with Mediterranean weather, so in fairness, we won’t go there. Sadly, Britain also has a lower GDP per capita than Mississippi. The Atlantic has a good article on this depressing comparison of economic success.
When I was a child, I still heard people talk about Great Britain. I haven’t heard anyone call it that in many years. Now it’s just Britain or the UK. What the UK has done to itself is sad for its people. Too, protecting billions in assets for the monarchy can’t help the rest of the country thrive.
@Nóinín, clearly you’re a consumer of the ridiculous tabloids. It’s clear you have no sense of the vast, immense size of California. The rota and British public don’t seem to get that your tiny UK can fit into California more than once!
Yes, Los Angeles has a homeless population, but Montecito is more than a two hour car drive up in the coastal mountains. It’s breathtakingly beautiful, wooded on high cliffs overlooking the gorgeous Pacific Ocean.
As for paying, I wouldn’t be surprised if Harry’s book sales paid off his mansion. I have no fake concern for how the Sussexes will pay their bills, even if the Homely Cheater strips their titles. H&M will be fine.
The area Harry and Meagan are living in is neither blazing hot nor blanketed in homeless. You do realize California is a large state, filled with everything from barren desert to farmlands to sandy beaches to snowcapped mountains? You can’t just assume the worst parts of LA and San Francisco had a bastard child and it spreads from Mexico to Oregon.
Better to live in a castle financed by the people with the homeless outside the gates, I guess.
@Noinin, there are these cool little things known as … investments. You know, that you put money in for the future–and if they do well, you can live off the interest. I can’t say for sure, but I have a strong suspicion both Meghan and Harry were incredibly well-invested even before they had kids. And before Spare was such a hit. So this crap about how they can’t afford their house is garbage. And it’s clear you don’t know anything about California, so I guess not knowing about investments makes sense.
We are not your audience.
Whatever his reasons, becoming more like the European monarchies sounds like a good plan IF he also slims down the amount of money that the BRF takes up. His plan is probably to have all the money and all the property to himself. I doubt it was QE’s plan to have only “working” royals on the balcony since KC was probably in control by then. If he sold her on it, he probably put it in terms of not hurting Andrew’s feelings. Otherwise, why could H&M and all the other non- “workers” not be on the balcony?
That’s exactly it- the appearance of being slim/modern/European but what about the cash, slim down on that too?
QEII made it a point to say Harry and Meghan were very much-loved members of the family. It was Chuck who kept them off of the balcony.
Unfortunately, the Europeans may be slimmed down, but they’re still heinously expensive. What has happened in the NLs in that the royals have off-loaded a couple of properties. The British royals have far more estates—maybe start by having the State acquire most of them. W might be in favor of creating housing for the homeless?
@Equality this! King Snubby and the Scary Heir just want to keep all the land, money, and tax-free income for themselves. Excluding Harry and Meghan gives them pleasure, but excluding everyone but the firstborn gives them actual money.
The stories about the UK monarchy evolving to a “European model “, smaller, royals with real jobs etc, has been bandied about since the 1980’s. Will believe it when I see it! But I do believe the tax payer expense angle is going to become increasingly hard to ignore.
From what I’ve read, the European royals do not have the huge price tag the Windsor’s come with.
Every time this topic is brought up on social media, I am shocked by actual Brits who will swear up and down that the monarchy isn’t taxpayer funded. It’s like they have blinders on, and will not hear of the monarchy doing anything but boosting the U.K.’s economy and reputation.
I really have no idea what this phenomenon is called, but surely someone is studying it.
Ah, and it’s the working royals who divvy up all that sweet sweet money, the property, etc. in exchange for their “work.”
Slimming down has very lucrative benefits for these grifters, consolidating all money and power in their hands, leaving everyone else subject to their grace and favor. So much money. So much control.
Of course, it also means there are fewer people to do the work and the excuse for even the remaining ones to “have to” work less as this stuff can’t be quantified. Win-win for these lazy folks.
The upswell in calls to cut the sovereign grant and demand they self-sustain with the considerable money and properties they already have will only grow, though … That’s also the European way…
£125 million a year for less work! More money, higher salaries, less people to do even less work = slimmed down monarchy.
And they will ask for an increase in the sovereign grant in the next 5 years, I bet.
I think PW is really committed to convincing people that the sad state of things is how he wants it… so it looks intentional and not like he’s a pathetic, incapable loser who is part of a crumbling institution.
He want’s to slim down but who the hell is going to work, because one thing is sure he and his fake cancer wife does not want to do it, and also if he is slimming down then they should slim down the money they get but Charlie boy just raised it from 86 million to 125
@LILY that’s hurtful,how do you know she’s faking cancer, stop judging
The “she has/had cancer” story is just that, a story. They put it out there after Charles confirmed his cancer. I also don’t believe she was ever at the London Clinic, certainly not during the time period claimed, anyway. They knew when Charles was going to make his announcement in January and rushed to get theirs out first. Basically copying Charles, because KP couldn’t say what the true story was.
She’s absolutely faking the cancer.
Zoom King will not require any others to take away his spotlight. It’s all about ME. He is his father’s son.
Yes, they handily never mention altering the amount of funding they get.
But I buy that he wants all eyes on ME. Where Kate fits into his plans and what’s happened with their negotiations remains to be seen.
This is the thing – he wants a slimmed down monarchy so that there are less people to pull focus, but we also know he’s going to work less. This isn’t like Charles with his 500 engagements a year deciding he doesn’t need the Duke of Kent anymore. William and Kate combined in a good year do less than half of what Charles does at 75.
So less work, fewer people, but the same amount of money. Well william certainly has it figured out, doesnt he?
Lily, how did chuckles increase their money by almost 30 million?!?! Where is it coming from, taxing the peasants? Who approved that decision? It’s unreal to me that they are getting away with that!!!!
The BRF has been approved for a 45% raise in the sovereign grant money in 2025. That will increase their payday from £86m to £125m. That comes from the profits from the crown estates (i.e. taxes from the plebes who get nothing in return). William receives all the net (post-tax) profits from the Duchy of Cornwall, which is around £20 million ($25.35 million) per year. Add to that his £6 million for simply being William and you get well over $30 million for a lazy toff who barely works.
Oops, wrong spot.
I have wondered whether the real reason that Kate emerged out of her hibernation-cum-estivation for the Trooping & Balcony set piece was because the Royal Family were worried no crowds would turn up otherwise. It’s pretty much one of the biggest events in their calendar.
Was she dragged out just to drum up numbers?
I agree with you but how did that work out? The overhead pic’s crowds were sparce. Maybe they should have announced Kate possibly attending more than 24 hours ahead. She did upstage the King though.
I think she came out of hiding so her debut as a working royal isn’t at Wimbledon.
It would raise eyebrows if she was well enough for “fun in the sun” assignments, but too weak to be amid the peasantry.
Now that she has dragged herself out to the balcony (at a reported toll on her constitution) she can afford to cherrypick her assignments, to where flirting with tennis star might prove too taxing to do much else for a month or so, but she is will to make the sacrifice for God and country.
“We want a slimmed down monarchy “ also, “if someone doesn’t want to be an extended member of this regime, the vitriol will never end”. It makes no sense.
That’s because they get to choose who is in and who is out, no one else is allowed to decide for themselves.
The queen did not abandon the custom. Charles forced it on her. Harry and Meghan had nothing to do with it. This was during the first jubilee after William and kate married. They sailed down the Thames on barges. Philip got sick and it was understood he and the queen wanted all the relatives on the balcony. Philip was too sick to attend balcony appearance then Charles decreed only the queen and himself along with Kate William and harry. Charles siblings were quite put out.
Camilla then duchess of Cornwall was also on the balcony
Isn’t it disrespectful of huevo to talk about this now. I suspect there will be a reprisal from c and c
Fine, slim down the money you mooch from the public also. I read somewhere this week that the BRF rakes in more money, by a grotesque margin than any of the current royal families. Slim down and cut that money down, that’s more than fair but these greedy baboons are getting even more money.
You can sense the panic from the British media. They have pushed out Harry and Meghan and have no access to them or their kids. The media have put all of their efforts behind William and Kate who are clearly going to do as little as possible. The balcony will soon just be the Wales’ family and a few aging relatives.
When he becomes king he’ll probably declare that only him is allowed to be on that balcony.
Has someone sat the bland bald keener down and given him the “French Revolution in 10 minutes” Ted talk? Because for real: Pegs is more Marie Antoinette than Louis XIV. #ApresMoiLeDeluge
Ha, they listed William’s cousins but not the Tindal’s.
They only listed the “titled” cousins.
Maybe time to put the monarchy to ‘storage’.
The Queen had integrity, humour, work ethic…..so many traits not apparent with these leftovers
Showing up for photo ops is not a ‘job” but sure pays extremely well , money that could be spent so much better in a country with so many issues.
What a bunch of baloney. They may well be only a handful of “working” royals in this future plan but they won’t give up any of their over-abundant properties or cash benefits, will they? Why don’t they all just quit pretending that their activities deserve to be called “work?”
All of the “working” royals should be required to all live in one palace (either Buckingham or Kensington), and they can keep Sandringham because it’s privately owned. All of the other castles, palaces and properties should be returned to the government for housing, offices and/or rented to the public for private events. The “non-working” royals need to figure out and pay for their own housing arrangements.
Balmoral is also privately owned
“Privately” owned or paid for with ill-gotten tax-payer money? And no property taxes paid so way ahead of “commoners”.
Don’t worry Richard Eden, the Middleton clan will be on the balcony, you can write crap about them.
The bloody monarchy is more or less the only interesting thing the island has. Many things about the UK, with the castles and grand houses and traditions are connected with the monarchy. From my point of view british monarchy, like Elizabeth I have been the more interesting ones in history. So while it is totally dumb and useless today it is part of the countries DNA. But this only works if it has to offer anything interesting and is not effectively dying in front of us. Billy thinks people actually care about the “work” he does. They do not. They want the spectacle and sth. to look at…
People who are interested in the history of the monarchy would still come to visit the castles and palaces without the monarchy. Just like they flock to Versailles.
The UK has architecture in the form of castles, large estates, cathedrals, museums, etc. There are grand gardens, charming villages, prehistoric sites like Stonehenge and farming areas. Scotland looks like an enchanting place to visit without monarchy as a draw. If you follow the RF and don’t know about any of this they aren’t doing too well at drawing tourists to anything that doesn’t make money for themselves.
Okay, setting aside who is a working royal and who is not and the whole slimmed down monarchy that somehow costs more, what does that have to necessarily do with the trooping balcony? I get that it’s been turned into a whole thing of who’s in and who’s out. But essentially, trooping is the monarch’s birthday and they should be able to invite whoever the hell they want onto the balcony, whether they’re a family member that has never been a working royal or not. The monarchy could simply invite friends into the balcony if they wanted. They turned it into this strict policy thing and it doesn’t have to be a reflection of who’s a working royal or not. It could just be who they invite to celebrate with them on the balcony.
My controversial theory on this is that William very much is aware of the curse of the spare and the pitfalls of the institution, and doesn’t want his children to deal with it (though totally okay with his brother taking that role and for Harry kids to have taken that role). William wants his kids to be able to choose, and work how they want. Kate and William want the kids to have the perks of royal life without the burdens (press attention, expectations lol, everything they themselves don’t want with the power). However the piper needs to be paid at some point- William and kate run the press right now but only because the press is banking on access when the kids are older. If they are cut out of that, then it’s going to be rough because the spotlight will only be on William, kate and George and none of them want that smoke either. Someone has to give the press something, that’s largely why the BRF are there (that and because no one is going to overhaul an entire governmental system over William and co.). So this article is a way for Eden to ring the alarm of “hey, don’t forget why y’all are REALLY here. For the press, for the stories.” You need more bodies for that.
They have a Tory government helping them too. Sure Starmer isn’t going to turf the Windsors, but at some point they will have to review the Sovereign Grant and how the money keeps going up as the number of royals shrink and those there do far less.
That’s why he is so angry with Harry. Harry took his family out therefore his children won’t be subjected to that. Harry’s kids are private citizens and won’t have to kowtow to the media and tabloids. It will fall on William and his family. I feel like that is the real reason why he will not forgive Harry. Harry is free and living the California lifestyle and William is very envious of that. Harry can ignore them and William can’t. Sure William has the homes and money but Harry and his family have freedom.
Well, it’s sad too. I get him being envious of the spare’s jealousy. But at some point, William never grew out of that adolescent jealousy. William used Harry as a scapegoat with the press his whole life. He has modeled how the spare will be treated by the BM and the RF, which is not good, and now his kids will be treated that way. Maybe he thinks he can turn it around but he is truly an example of how to treat your family like shit in the press, through planting and leaking stories about your siblings to get better press. That’s who he is as a role model. Hopefully it’ll be a case where the kids see him as an example of how not to treat one’s family.
He can’t ask Beatrice and Eugenie to be half working royals because if would beg the question why didn’t they accept Harry’s offer. They are boxed in due to spite and jealousy.
I don’t think the Royals would feel boxed in by any random rules that they throw at the Sussexes but don’t apply to others in the Royal family. They don’t care about the blatant double standards. Even when there were early initial discussions about the half-in-half-out issue, Prince Michael was asked by a reporter (I think Eden) why he was able to be half-in-half out but not the Sussexes. Prince Michael simply replied: because I have the Queen’s permission. This, for obvious reasons, didn’t get a lot of press at the time but evinces that standards, protocol and rules are determined on a whim and case-by-case basis, and are not uniformly applied. They don’t care how unfair and ridiculous that looks.
I never heard about Prince Michael seeking the late queen’s permission, MaryP, that’s very interesting. And how simple and easy, at least for certain people. That’s really double standard at its best.
For the life of me, I cannot now find the article – I would have to spend some time digging, perhaps it has been hidden! But it was one of those diary type articles from eden, Shakespeare or hardcastle. Where Prince Michael was approached at a party and asked about the half and half out issue.
It was always expected that Prince Michael would have to do a half and half out so that he could earn money and yet still be able to receive Royal lodgings. See the attached link.
I think it was not always so much express permission from the Queen in the beginning but rather when he needed to be reined in (because of scandals) the Queen probably made it clear that her permission came with certain restrictions.
https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2021/05/prince-michael-of-kent-investigation-business-choices
I’m sure this isn’t going to come with a reduction in the allowance. Bill wants the attention and money for himself.
I have long had a tin-foil-tiara theory that William would be very happy if the monarchy ended during his reign. I am thinking then that any properties, monies, jewelry, etc that would revert to the final monarch would be his personally. William is so selfish, as you say, that I think he would be very happy to take all of the marbles and go home (or rather to one of his many homes).
I’ve thought this, too. I can understand someone wanting a certain amount of ‘out’ from a job with no retirement, ever. The luck of the draw – good for the money, bad for the never-ending time. And, yes, I think William realised years ago he wanted to play the game differently. Kate’s illness has probably underlined his/their decision. There’s a lot of bitterness re Harry and his new life; however, if he wanted his brother to shoulder some of the burden, he should’ve been more welcoming and supportive of his sister in law.
Folks need to stop with the notion that it has been an insult to H&M or a trumped up “working royals only” reason for them not being on the balcony. This is the same quality of thought (or lack thereof) that views everything from the point of view of the windsors, as if H&M have no agency.
When H&M succeeded in escaping that mafia institution with their life intact and was forced into taking ‘Option 5,’ they simultaneously took control of their own life. One of the main reasons H hated royal life was the Truman Show aspect of it. And as he said in the Netflix docu, the shitmedia justifies their intrusion into every aspect of your life if even 1% of your funding came from the public purse.
So when H&M left and H kept saying: “I want a family, not an institution,” he explained that by that he meant he wants his wife & children and himself to be able to visit/communicate/interact with the british side of his family without everything ending up in the papers and on teevee chat shows. He’s not into the performative nonsense………………the medieval dress-up, the cosplaying of their long dead ancestors, the parading around in horse-drawn carriages and the zoo-like displays on the balcony, etc.
At betty’s jubbly when M was seen looking gorgeous chatting and smiling with the tindall kids upstairs in BP while the others were on display on the balcony, it was H&M’s choice. As we know, betty rolled out the red carpet for H&M so I’m sure she had invited them to be on the balcony and I’m equally sure H&M declined.
And I would bet my botton dollar that if H&M indicated right now, that they would love to take their kids to visit chucky and cowmilla at balmoral this summer, the institution and their cabal in the shitmedia would be in hog heaven.
This is a good way to phase out the monarchy – not the institution so much, but the public celebrity aspect. The only one with real obligations is the king – and do any of the patronages actually depend on the royals for their existence? W&K have made it clear they don’t want to work and now William has made it clear he doesn’t want anyone else to work, either. So, there’ll be the handful of mandatory state events and then the occasional aristo sightings at Ascot, etc., and that will be it. No more need for dedicated royal experts and correspondents.
Ha, well yes, less need for royal experts would not be a bad thing.
Weird, I agree with Will.
Phase out all the extra fat. Only Will and George need to be seen everyone else can go get a job.
William is lazy and might get jealous of George and keep him from working much
Can it get any slimmer? It’s gone from St Bernard to whippet in a few years.
In 15 years it’ll be corgis, lol.
Just William wanting Harry’s life. The life he helped to force Harry into, through his abject abuse.
I am an American who loves to travel, and I have visited the UK and London several times and plan to do so again next June for a few weeks. I have never seen a member of royalty in person or be waved to by them, but that really does not matter to me. As long as I can enjoy the museums, the historical royal palaces, the shopping, Tower of London and other ancient places, I am happy. (Shopping, restaurants, and shows I enjoy don’t need a royal in attendance.)
I do like to watch the royal parades and changing of guards and the Beefeaters, but you really do not need a royal family for them to continue on. In fact, if the royal family were gone, tourists like me and British people would probably get to visit more parts of historical palaces–after all, Henry VIII is long gone, but millions of people still go to Hampton Court!
One big thing about this smaller royal family is that the “work” is going to have to be much reduced. In other words, there are going to be a lot fewer ribbon cuttings, garden parties in Buckingham Palace, waving from open horse-drawn coaches, and royal sponsors of the several hundred things they sponsor. Isn’t all that really just window-dressing? Or will the public really miss it??
Amateurism and mediocrity hitched to PR is all that is needed in the era of Sledgehammer Journalism to shore up unmerited position(s)….